On Sunday 4 October 2026, the Franciscan Family gathered at the Church of Santa Maria di Gesù (Ta’ Ġieżu) in Valletta to celebrate the Solemnity of our Seraphic Father St Francis of Assisi, during this special year marking 800 years since his Transitus.

The Solemn Mass was presided over by the Minister Provincial, Fr Ramon Farrugia OFM, together with the friars of the Province and other priests, in the presence of members of the wider Franciscan Family and many faithful. The liturgy was enriched by the Cappella Musicale Caeciliana, under the direction of Mro Dr Abraham D’Amato.

“To be Franciscan means to live the Gospel”

In his homily, the Minister Provincial invited those present not to look at St Francis simply as a great figure belonging to the past, but as a witness to the Gospel whose life continues to speak powerfully to us today.

He reflected that the Franciscan vocation cannot simply be regarded as a profession or something one does. Rather, it is a way of life. The values lived by St Francis — simplicity, humility, love, fraternity and closeness to God — must become visible in our everyday lives and in the way we encounter and serve others.

Fr Ramon also invited everyone to reflect on an important question: Are we truly making space for what God wants of us, or do we sometimes make our own plans and then expect God to follow them? Like Francis, the Christian is called to listen, discern and allow God to lead.

The Provincial also emphasised the importance of remaining a living and relevant Franciscan presence in today’s world. This means being close to people, particularly to young people, and finding new ways of communicating the Gospel in contemporary society, including through modern means of communication.

Another important aspect of the Franciscan vocation highlighted during the homily was our relationship with creation. Following the example of St Francis, we are invited to rediscover creation as a gift from God and to respond with gratitude, respect and a simpler way of living.

As the Franciscan Family commemorates the eighth centenary of the Transitus of St Francis, today’s celebration offered an invitation not simply to admire Francis, but to follow his example by making room for Christ and living the Gospel concretely in our daily lives.